The Escort
by guyw1tn0nam3
Summary: As Ursa leaves the shores of the Fire Nation for the last time, she is guided away by a mysterious white haired man who tells her she will never return to her homeland.


**A/N:** This particular story was a drabble I wrote on ASN. It didn't win, but I was pretty proud of it. It was written for the theme "Crossover". I highly recommend the anime to you. It's pretty darn amazing.

**Summary: **The Escort - As Ursa leaves the shores of the Fire Nation for the last time, she is guided away by a mysterious man.

**Genre:** Crossover/Supernatural [Mushishi x Avatar]

**Characters**: Ursa/Ginko

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><p><strong>The Escort<strong>

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><p>"My lady, we have prepared your escort," whispered the servant as he hurried her down the flight of cold dark steps. From the palace behind her, screaming and shouting could be heard from the mountain tops as if a member of royalty had been slain. "Come. Quickly. Dawn is near."<p>

From above, she could see the rocky beach that was only exposed when the tide rescinded. Calm waves gently kissed the rocks and the boats that were tethered to wooden stakes and scattered against the coast. On the horizon, the light that was rising from the sea was hidden by a strange layer of haze.

When they had reached the bottom of the stairs, the servant led her to the campfire placed near the closest boat. A group of merchants sat there, laughing and drinking, inspecting everyone's wares and trading amongst themselves. She was instantly uncomfortable, surrounded by strangers of a different class.

"Come, come," said her servant, almost excitedly, as he led her to the group. "Quickly now."

As she was dragged towards the campfire, the traders faced her, surprised at her exquisite outfit and royal appearance. They grew silent. Some seemed to be deep in thought as they watched her, as if they were ready to ask if she was willing to sell her clothes for an exorbitant price.

"Ah, that's a nice pick you have there," came a calm and soothing voice to break the silence. "Crush these shells and they make for a great love potion."

She turned to the voice. She saw a man with white hair that covered his left eye. A lit and half used cigarette hung from his mouth. Spread out before him was a blanket covered with trinkets. A beautiful jade cup. A peculiar pair of horns. A vial of what appeared to be just sea water.

"Sir," the servant interrupted. "I have brought the lady."

The white haired merchant looked up, meeting her stare with an unusual green eye. They stared back at each other for a moment, before the merchant turned back towards his buyer and said "Sorry, sir, but the shop is closed now. Perhaps we can meet another season."

"What's your name?" said the lady. "How did you become my escort?"

"My name is Ginko," he replied. He took his cigarette out of his mouth, blew a puff, and smiled. "I only chose to be your escort because I'm interested in you."

It would normally be an embarrassing thing to say, but Ginko didn't seem to notice. He wrapped his blanket around his collection and placed them in a box made of bamboo before slinging it over his back. He then turned back to her. "Now then, let's go…what is your name?"

"Ursa," was all she would say.

"Then let's hurry Ursa," said Ginko. "It'll be bad if the haze gets too close to the shore before we leave."

Without another word, Ginko led the way to the nearest boat. Ursa followed hesitantly, taking small steps and occasionally glancing back at her servant, who was waving half-heartedly with tears in his eyes. The haze, as Ginko had just mentioned, was slowly creeping towards the beach, obscuring the rising sun. As they reached the boat, Ginko called a young boy who had been sleeping next to the stake to untie it, and helped Ursa climb aboard.

They were off in an instant. Even Ursa hadn't thought that she would leave so quickly. The boy, who seemed adept at the oar, navigated the boat out to sea while Ginko threw a hood over his hair.

"Why are we in a hurry?" Ursa almost demanded.

Ginko looked back at Ursa and asked. "Can you see anything in the water?"

Ursa looked over the side, but saw nothing but the algae and small traces of fish. She turned back towards Ginko and shook her head. Ginko, with a monotonous stare, pulled open his bamboo box and retrieved the vial of seawater that Ursa had seen earlier. He asked, "Do you see anything in this?"

Once again, Ursa shook her head.

"I can see things that you can't," Ginko placed the vial back into the box and closed the lid. "You see seawater. I see mushi."

"Mushi?" Ursa glanced back at the water, having never heard the word. "What is that?"

"They," Ginko corrected. "Are creatures different from insects and reptiles; simple beings that live only to exist. They are beings closest to life itself."

"And they," Ginko continued, pointing at the haze that had now enveloped them. "Have created this haze around you. You see nothing but the water, my lady. I see a sea filled with mushi that appear as worms."

"Tell me something," Ginko pointed behind Ursa. "Can you see the shore?"

Ursa looked behind her, having not completely drawn this in. The haze had now completely obscured the beach behind her. When had it done it so quickly? How could it have covered the beach when we had only been in the haze for a minute? Those were the thoughts that ran through her mind.

"No, I can't," admitted Ursa.

"Nagi," Ginko asked the boy moving the oars in front of him. "Can you see the shore?"

"Yes," said the boy, who turned momentarily from his paddling to look behind him. "It's quite clear. I can see the merchants laughing still."

Impossible! Ursa thought. The haze is completely covering everything.

"I can see it too," Ginko broke Ursa's thoughts of disbelief. "Your servant is heading up the stairs as we speak, and there are men with fire in their palms running towards the beach."

"You're lying!" Ursa gripped the boat tightly and strained with her eyes to see the shore, but soon realized that the haze was too dense. "This fog is too heavy. Nothing can be seen."

"That is the power of mushi," said Ginko. "This is not a normal haze, but is one created by mushi. Therefore, it is a special kind of haze."

"The only people," explained Ginko. "Who can see the shore, my lady, are those who want to return to it."

Ursa's eyes widened and she turned frantically left and right, as if she was figuring which way to jump off. "That can't be," Ursa whispered desperately, thoughts of her children flaring into her mind. Thoughts of Zuko. Thoughts of Azula. Thoughts of Iroh. And even thoughts of Ozai. Was there really nowhere in her that would let her see the shore? "I want to go back. To my son! To my Zuko!"

Ginko stayed silent as Ursa felt tears come to her eyes. For a moment she was angry, out of control, confused as to why she could not see what Ginko and Nagi were seeing.

But her anger left as quickly as it had come. Her grip on the boat loosened now, and her tears stopped their gentle flow down her cheeks as Ursa felt the realization occur to her. She would never wish to return to the Fire Nation. It would always be the last thing she would ever want, because a mother always protects her children.

Ursa turned one final moment and saw only an impenetrable haze.

"Don't let yourself be blinded by fear or anger," Ginko lit another cigarette in his hands. "Everything is only as it is."

Ursa turned back and nodded, a smile coming to her face for the first time that day.

"Where off to next?"


End file.
